5-Day Best of Tanzania Safari Serengeti, Ngorongoro & Tarangire

You begin your safari with a warm welcome upon touchdown at Kilimanjaro International Airport by Lets Travel and Tours Ltd driver guide who will drive you to your luxury hotel in Arusha, Tanzania to freshen up and relax.

ARUSHA KAHAWA HOUSE

A homely lodge situated in a suburban area in northern Tanzania, Kahawa House is located in Arusha, only 6 km southwest of the center of the town. This premium accommodation provides convenient access to Arusha Domestic Airport and is an ideal rest stop for visitors traveling to and from the Arusha National Park. The property’s facilities include a swimming pool as well as a beautiful deck with a pool view where guests can enjoy lunch and dinner.

Breakfast at the Hotel.

Check-out and depart for Tarangire National Park. 

Lunch at the your preferred Lodge in Tarangire.

After lunch have a game viewing drive.

Tarangire National Park is a national park in Tanzania's Manyara Region. The name of the park originates from the Tarangire River that crosses the park. The Tarangire River is the primary source of fresh water for wild animals in the Tarangire Ecosystem during the annual dry season. The Tarangire Ecosystem is defined by the long-distance migration of wildebeest and zebras. During the dry season thousands of animals concentrate in Tarangire National Park from the surrounding wet-season dispersal and calving areas.

TARANGIRE KATIKATI TENTED CAMP

Tarangire Kati Kati Tented Camp is a mobile camp strategically located within Tarangire National Park, specifically near the Silale Swamp. The camp is situated in a prime private campsite in the Silale area, one of the prime areas of the national park.

The camp consists of 11 tents, including a family tent – it can accommodate a variety of travelers. Additionally, there is a mess tent where meals are served, providing a communal space for our guests to dine and socialize. One notable advantage of the camp’s location inside the park is that it allows travelers to be among the first to embark on game drives.

Being situated within the national park provides guests with a unique opportunity to witness wildlife and explore the natural beauty of Tarangire National Park right from the start of their safari experience.

Breakfast at the Camp.

Full day game viewing drive with packed lunches.

DINNER AND OVERNIGHT AT TARANGIRE KATIKATI TENTED CAMP.

Breakfast at the Camp.

Check-out and depart for Ngorongoro Conservation Area.

Lunch at your preferred lodge / camp in Ngorongoro.

Ngorongoro Conservation Area is a protected area and a UNESCO World Heritage Site located in Ngorongoro District, 180 km (110 mi) west of Arusha City in Arusha Region, within the Crater Highlands geological area of northeastern Tanzania. The area is named after Ngorongoro Crater, a large volcanic caldera within the area. The Ngorongoro Conservation Area Authority administers the conservation area, an arm of the Tanzanian government, and its boundaries follow the boundary of the Ngorongoro District in Arusha Region. The western portion of the park abuts the Serengeti National Park, and the area comprising the two parks and Kenya's Maasai Mara game reserve is home to Great Migration, a massive annual migration of millions of wildebeest, zebras, gazelles, and other animals. The conservation area also contains Olduvai Gorge, one of the most important paleoanthropological sites in the world.

NGORONGORO RHINO LODGE

Situated a few hundred metres from the southern rim of the spectacular Ngorongoro Crater, Rhino Lodge offers comfortable accommodation and friendly staff. While not on the rim of the crater itself, the lodge has beautiful surroundings and provides easy access to the road into the crater. Here, one can marvel at Ngorongoro's concentration of wildlife, including the Big Five, and breathtaking scenery.

Highlights

Easy access from the lodge to the road into the crater

Spectacular game viewing both in the crater and surrounding areas

Opportunities to meet local Maasai people

Beautiful walks to suit all levels of fitness around the lodge and in the area

Warm and comfortable accommodation with woodburning stoves

Rhino Lodge has 24 en-suite rooms arranged around a courtyard, with a veranda facing onto the beautiful montane forest. Although the living quarters get blocked off at night, the courtyard area is unfenced so wildlife ambles past, including an elephant fondly called Jino Moja.

The rooms are simple but comfortable, with woodburning stoves for chilly nights. En-suite bathrooms have a toilet, basin and shower with hot water. Bright blankets and throws made from Maasai fabrics add a splash of colour.

Main lodge area

The main lodge is simple and practical, with stone walls, floors and fireplaces to keep the highlands chill at bay. Comfy sofas provide the perfect spot to read a book after a day spotting wildlife in the crater. A small curio shop sells gifts and mementoes.

The restaurant has beautiful views overlooking the forest, with a wooden deck on which to sit if you'd prefer to eat al fresco. Inside, two fireplaces create a warm and cosy setting for the simple yet delicious food which is a mix of local and international tastes. Depending on the number of guests at the lodge, meals can be buffet or à la carte.

Game viewing activities

Most people coming into Ngorongoro come with their own vehicles and guide but, if not, Rhino Lodge will happily connect guests with local guides and vehicles. Vehicles are only allowed into the crater during the day. An early start and easy access from the lodge into the crater ensure an incredible safari experience.

Due to the high concentration of wildlife on the crater floor, you can expect to see vast numbers of animals during a day drive, including the rare and endangered black rhino, lion, elephant, zebra and many varieties of antelope.

Things to do

Ngorongoro Crater is within the vast Ngorongoro Conservation Area, which encompasses a number of great places to visit, including the fascinating archaeological site at Olduvai Gorge and Ngorongoro Crater's smaller sister crater, Empakaai.

While walking safaris are not allowed on the crater floor, the surrounding areas offer a wide range of activities, from trekking and hiking to mountain biking and meeting with the local people to learn about their culture and traditions.

There are numerous guided hiking trails to suit all levels of fitness, allowing visitors to get up close and personal with the spectacular African bush.

Getting there

By car - Rhino Lodge is about three hours by car from Arusha.

By air - The flight from Arusha to Manyara airstrip takes about 40 minutes. From there, it's a scenic 45-minute drive to the lodge. Arusha is served by two airports; the domestic Arusha Airport and Kilimanjaro International Airport.

Our take on Rhino Lodge

Rhino Lodge is simple but comfortable, with great staff. While it doesn't offer views over the crater floor, its affordability, the views over the montane forest and of passing animals and its close proximity to the road leading to the crater floor make up for that. From here, you can get an early start and miss the crowds that often build up at the gate into the crater.

Breakfast at the Lodge.
Full day at leisure at Ngorongoro Conservation Area.
Lunch at the Lodge.
DINNER AND OVERNIGHT AT NGORONGORO RHINO LODGE

Breakfast at the your preferred Lodge in Ngorongoro.

Check-out and depart by road for Serengeti National Park.

The Serengeti ecosystem is a geographical region in Africa, spanning the Mara and Arusha Regions of Tanzania. The protected area within the region includes approximately 30,000 km2 (12,000 sq mi) of land, including the Serengeti National Park and several game reserves. The Serengeti hosts the world's most massive[3] land animal migration (in terms of total body weight), which helps secure it as one of the Seven Natural Wonders of Africa.

SERENGETI KATIKATI CAMP

Serengeti Kati Kati Camp is a mobile camp strategically situated in central Serengeti, ideal for exploring the extensive Serengeti plains. The camp offers comfortable accommodation together with the unique opportunity to enjoy a real safari experience on a camp. In its comfortable tents one will feel completely immersed in the surroundings and one can enjoy the rich animal life and vegetation of the area.

An original form of accommodation which resembles the old camps of the first explorers in Africa, with all the commodities of today.

Located a two hour drive along a panoramic route from the Olduvai Museum and the river Grumeti, two of the indispensable visits for all travellers to Tanzania.

Lunch at the Lodge.After lunch, have an afternoon game viewing drive then later enjoy a sundowner.

Breakfast at the Lodge.

Full day game viewing drive at Serengeti National Park with packed lunches.

DINNER AND OVERNIGHT AT SERENGETI KATIKATI CAMP

Breakfast at the Lodge.

Check out with packed lunches for Kilimanjaro International Airport for your flight back home.